Match for Freshening the Air and Neutralizing Odor and Method

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to matches for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising a head for combustion initiation, a tinder substrate, and a handle. Further, the invention relates to matches for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising a head for combustion initiation, a tinder substrate comprising a volatile fragrance, and a handle. In one embodiment, the tinder substrate is an aroma wood, for example, cedar or eucalyptus, comprising a natural volatile fragrance. In another embodiment, the tinder substrate comprises the liquid fragrance carried in said substrate. Further, the invention relates to methods for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising the steps of frictioning the head of the match of the invention for combustion initiation, providing the burning tinder substrate of the match of the invention, volatilizing the fragrance from the tinder substrate of the match of the invention for freshening the surrounded air and neutralizing odor.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to air fresheners, odor masks and malodor neutralizers and, in particular, to a match and method for freshening air and neutralizing odor.

BACKGROUND ART

Various types of air fresheners have been made to dispense fragrances and scents to mask or neutralize unpleasant odors or to simply provide a pleasant scent.

There is a type of air freshener that involves dissolving a fragrance in a liquid carrier. Fragrances may also be dissolved in water. The fragrance evaporates with the carrier, scenting the air. Liquid air fresheners are effective, but there is a risk of spillage. Moreover, there are concerns about the amount of volatile chemicals that are released and about disposal of the containers for the air freshener.

There is a type of air freshener that involves infusion of a fragrance into a solid carrier such as a fiber or polymer felt, or a polymer foam carrier such as a polyurethane or polystyrene foam. These solid carriers reduce the risk of spillage and help to control the rate of fragrance release.

Both described types of air fresheners do not eliminate substances with unpleasant smell from the air and only mask unpleasant smell for human sense.

The goal of the present invention is to provide the active air freshener that eliminates at least in part substances responsible for unpleasant odor from surrounded air and/or masks residual traces of these substances by volatilizing a fragrance.

Typical substances responsible for unpleasant odor (e.g. thiols and indoles) are slowly oxidized by air oxygen at ambient temperature, but this reaction could be activated under heat. Burning is especially effective process for initiation of the reaction.

The object of the present invention is to provide a match and method for freshening the air and neutralizing odor. Substances responsible for unpleasant odor are eliminated at least in part by activation the reaction of these substances with air oxygen by the match burning and residual amounts of these substances is masked by volatilizing a fragrance from the heated match body.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising a head for combustion initiation, a tinder substrate, and a handle.

Further the present invention provides a match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising a head for combustion initiation, a tinder substrate comprising a volatile fragrance, and a handle.

The head of the match is composed by ingredient well-known from the art such as an igniting agent, combustible material, a binder, and various amounts of other ingredients such as oxidizers, fillers, dispersants, colorants, etc. The example of the igniting agent is potassium chlorate. The non-exclusive examples of combustible materials include sulfur, starches, natural gums, phosphorus sesquisulphide, carbon black, charcoal, and suitable combinations thereof. The example of the binder includes collagen known as animal hide glue. In the typical process of match preparation, matches are produced by preparing a composition by mixing the igniting agent, the combustible material, and other ingredients such as glass powder, diatomaceous earth, boric acid powder, pigment, etc., with a gluing agent and water, and attaching this composition to the substrate, followed by drying.

The tinder substrate of the match is composed by substances well-known from the art such as wood or cardboard which comprises a volatile fragrance.

In the first preferred embodiment, the tinder substrate is an aroma wood comprising a natural volatile fragrance. The wood of the invention is any wood comprising naturally occurring fragrance acceptable for a consumer. Preferably, the wood selected from the group consisting of cedar and eucalyptus.

In the second preferred embodiment, the tinder substrate comprises the liquid fragrance carried in said substrate. The fragrance of the invention is the liquid fragrance is an anhydrous or nearly anhydrous liquid selected from the group of essential oils, aroma chemicals, and odor neutralizers and masks. Preferably, an amount of liquid fragrance is 0.1 to 5% by weight of the tinder substrate.

Handle is the part of the match that is necessary for a safe use of the match. Typically, the handle is extension of the substrate.

Further, the invention provide a method for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising the steps of frictioning the head of the match of the invention for combustion initiation, providing the burning tinder substrate of the match of the invention, volatilizing the fragrance from the tinder substrate of the match of the invention for freshening the surrounded air and neutralizing odor.

The following examples are presented to demonstrate the invention. The examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

EXAMPLE 1

The example represents the match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor.

The match consists of three parts with parameters as described below. The example of the composition of head for combustion initiation is presented in table 1.

In this embodiment, handle is extension of the tinder substrate and represent together with the substrate a splint of 6×4×4 mm in dimensions prepared from aroma woods such as eucalyptus which comprises volatile fragrance as a natural component.

Matches are produced by mixing the igniting agent, the combustible material, and other ingredients of the table 1 with a gluing agent and water, and attaching this composition to the substrate, followed by drying.

EXAMPLE 2

The example represents the match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor.

The match consists of three parts with parameters as described below. The head composition is used as described in the example 1 of the invention. In this embodiment, handle is extension of the tinder substrate and represents together with the substrate a splint of 6×4×2 mm in dimensions prepared from cardboard. The liquid vanilla fragrance infused into the cardboard substrate to 5% by total substrate weight.

Matches are produced by mixing the components of table 1 with a gluing agent and water, and attaching this composition to the substrate, followed by drying.

EXAMPLE 3

The example represents the method for freshening the air and neutralizing odor.

Freshening the air and neutralizing odor procedure comprising the steps: frictioning the head of the match of the example 1 or 2 for combustion initiation, providing the burning tinder substrate of the match the example 1 or 2, volatilizing the fragrance from the tinder substrate of the match the example 1 or 2 for freshening the surrounded air and neutralizing odor.

EXAMPLE 4

The example represents the efficacy of the match to remove substance with unpleasant odor from the air.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was used as model substance with unpleasant odor. In control experiment, 20 ppm H₂S in dry air did not been changed during the 5 min at ambient temperature. In the experiment with the match ignition, starting concentration of 20 ppm H₂S in dry air was decreased to the level 8-fold below of starting. Thus, match ignition is effective in removing substance with unpleasant odor from the air. TABLE 1 Component % by dry weight Potassium chlorate 45 Glass powder 23 White carbon 3.5 Diatomaceous 5.8 Dextrin 2.3 Boric acid 0.7 Colorant 1.2 Gelatin 12.7 Cellulose nitrate 3.5 

1. A match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising: (a) a head for combustion initiation, (b) a tinder substrate, and (c) a handle.
 2. A match for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising: (a) a head for combustion initiation, (b) a tinder substrate comprising a volatile fragrance, and (c) a handle.
 3. The match according to claim 2, wherein the tinder substrate is an aroma wood comprising a natural volatile fragrance.
 4. The match according to claim 3, wherein the wood selected from the group consisting of cedar and eucalyptus.
 5. The match according to claim 2, wherein the tinder substrate comprises the liquid fragrance carried in said substrate.
 6. The match according to claim 5, wherein the liquid fragrance is an anhydrous or nearly anhydrous liquid selected from the group of essential oils, aroma chemicals, and odor neutralizers and masks.
 7. The match according to claim 5, wherein an amount of liquid fragrance is 0.1 to 5% by weight of the tinder substrate.
 8. A method for freshening the air and neutralizing odor comprising the steps of: (a) frictioning the head of the match according to claim 2 for combustion initiation, (b) providing the burning tinder substrate of the match according to claim 2, (c) volatilizing the fragrance from the tinder substrate of the match according to claim 2 for freshening the surrounded air and neutralizing odor. 